EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC SAFETY, PEOPLE AND WELLBEING

• Navigate and influence across a statewide federated delivery model
• Shape the people and safety agenda for Victoria's largest transport and health infrastructure program
• Drive durable cultural change and organisational capability at portfolio scale

The Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA) is responsible for delivering the largest transport, health, and community safety infrastructure program in Victorian history. Spanning more than 200 projects – including the North East Link, level crossing removals, Melbourne Airport Rail Stage 1, new and upgraded hospitals, and vital community safety initiatives – VIDA brings together a range of industry professionals to deliver major projects efficiently and effectively. Comprising five specialised project offices – VIDA Roads, VIDA Metro, VIDA Rail, VIDA Health, and VIDA Community Safety – the authority offers diverse career opportunities, robust professional development programs, and a strong focus on employee wellbeing. It provides a dynamic, rewarding workplace where professionals can help shape a legacy that makes a statewide impact. 

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer of VIDA Services, the Executive Director, Strategic Safety, People and Wellbeing is a critical leadership position within VIDA's central function. This leadership position covers three distinct portfolios: strategic safety oversight across the full VIDA enterprise; direct management of the People and Capability function within VIDA Services; and consolidated responsibility for wellbeing across both functions. The Executive Director chairs the cross-project-office People and Culture executive committee and is accountable to the VIDA Executive Committee for annual work plans across safety and people functions. Crucially, this is not a directive role; it is about collaboration and influence, as the project offices retain full operational accountability for their own safety and people functions. The primary objective is to build aligned autonomy across the project offices by facilitating the sharing of best practices, driving harmonisation to add genuine value, and bringing the project offices to common ground through trust and influence. In addition, the Executive Director will play a key role in progressing Gender Equality and Cultural Safety Action Plans, maturing VIDA Services' internal people function, and strengthening safety oversight across the entire portfolio of project offices. They will also represent VIDA in strengthening strategic relationships with critical stakeholders, including WorkSafe, Fair Work, and the public sector union.

You are a senior leader with deep credibility in health and safety, ideally earned within major infrastructure delivery, large-scale construction, or a complex federated government environment. Your understanding of the strategic active client safety model or an equivalent framework gives you immediate standing with project office safety executives who are highly experienced and fiercely independent. While your primary grounding may be in safety, you are equally capable of leading and developing a mature people and culture function, and you understand the legislative and enterprise agreement landscape that governs both domains. What distinguishes you is not just your technical expertise, but the gravitas and authenticity you bring to the role. You lead with purpose and understanding – influencing through active listening and rapport rather than directing from the centre. You effortlessly build consensus without sacrificing standards, possessing the patience, political acuity, and humility required to drive durable cultural change in complex organisations. Comfortable operating in ambiguity and knowing when progress matters more than perfection, you provide visible, accessible leadership that commands the trust of peers and project office leads alike.

Please review the Candidate brief, then Click ‘Apply’ to submit your CV. For more information prior to application, please contact Evan Willen at SHK via email on evan.willen@shk.com.au, quoting reference 3639597. Direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to SHK. Applications close 21 August 11:59pm.